Three bodies recovered from capsized Indonesian passenger ship
Indonesian Navy divers recovered three bodies from a sunken passenger ship in the Java Sea as 126 people remained missing.
Surabaya, Indonesia. Indonesian Navy divers recovered three bodies from a passenger ship that capsized and sank in the Java Sea, while 126 people remained unaccounted for.
The underwater search was suspended because of strong currents and was due to resume on Saturday, Navy official Edy Setyawan said.
Search operation
Divers entered the Virgo Transport 8 during a salvage operation and found the bodies of two men and a woman, Setyawan said.
“Our golden period to dive is between 6am and 2pm,” he said. “After that, the current is unfavourable.”
Strong currents and large waves had hindered search operations for five days. Authorities decided on Friday to right the vessel to facilitate the rescue effort.
Casualties and missing passengers
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people on a 20-hour voyage from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday.
Nine people have been confirmed dead and 108 survivors have been recorded, while 126 passengers remain missing.
Recovery of bodies
Three Navy divers had initially planned to install a safety line near the ship early on Friday when they saw a floating body through a window, Setyawan said.
The divers broke the glass to reach the body. Murky green water flooded out after the window was broken, possibly due to dirt inside the vessel, diver Rajab Suwarno said.
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